The Dallas Cowboys defense unraveled in the fourth quarter, allowing 23 points and an overtime field goal that gave the Arizona Cardinals a 33-30 victory at AT&T Stadium on Tuesday night. The loss drops Dallas to a 3-5 record and continues a troubling trend: the Cardinals have now beaten the Cowboys five straight times, all at the home stadium that opened in 2009.
Key moments and statistics
Arizona mounted a dramatic comeback after trailing 17-3 early in the third quarter. Quarterback Gardner Minshew, who replaced starter Jacoby Brissett, led the Cardinals on two scoring drives that erased the deficit. A 63‑yard touchdown run by rookie running back Tyler Allgeier sparked the rally; Allgeier finished with 147 rushing yards on 11 carries and added 44 receiving yards.
Dallas’ offense was productive but fell short in critical moments. Dak Prescott threw for 195 yards and a touchdown, but was sacked four times, including a sack on the Cowboys’ sole possession in overtime. Prescott also contributed 20 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown, ranking second on the team in ground yards.
Running back Javonte Williams, who had exploded for over 150 yards against Philadelphia the week before, was limited to 56 yards on 24 carries and suffered a costly fumble that was recovered in the end zone for a Cowboys touchdown. Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb led the receiving corps with seven catches for 58 yards on 11 targets. The only receiving touchdown came from rookie tight end Ryan Flournoy.
Defensive performance
Defensive end Quinnen Williams recorded two sacks, the most on the Dallas side, but the unit could not stop Arizona’s ground attack. The Cardinals rushed for 202 yards on 7.5 yards per carry, a stark contrast to Dallas’ meager 2.4 yards per rush for a total of 93 yards. The Cowboys’ inability to stop the run proved decisive.
In the final seconds of regulation, Arizona scored a touchdown that would have given them the lead, but a missed extra‑point attempt left the score at 30‑30, sending the game to overtime. The Cardinals then drove into field‑goal range, and a successful kick sealed the win.
Injuries and roster notes
Both teams dealt with injuries. The Cardinals were without wide receiver Kendrick Bourne, who left with an ankle injury, and left tackle Jayden Williams, who was ruled out with a knee issue. The Cowboys lost rookie safety Caleb Downs to a concussion in the second half and tight end Jake Ferguson to an ankle injury in the first quarter.
Looking ahead, the Cardinals travel to Seattle next Sunday, while the Cowboys head to Indianapolis for their next matchup.
Division outlook
The NFC East remains led by the New York Giants, who sit at 4-2-1. The Washington Commanders and Philadelphia Eagles are slated to play Sunday night on NBC.
Dallas continues to search for its first back‑to‑back win of the season and hopes to break the losing streak against Arizona. Coach Brian Schottenheimer, now in his second year, will need to tighten up the defense and re‑establish the ground game that proved effective against the Eagles last week.
Original reporting: Dallas TX News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
